Fight for Sight announces new research strategy and calls for PhD Studentship Applications

Leading eye research charity, Fight for Sight, has today announced details of its new research strategy, which has been designed to maximise the impact of research funding in the charity’s mission to stop sight loss.

Over the next five years the charity will continue to fund research that addresses sight loss from any eye disease or condition while also focusing the majority of its funding across a small number of areas that will form core strategic programmes for the charity.

The programme areas are age-related macular degeneration; glaucoma; inherited eye diseases; and sight loss linked to other diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s and inflammatory disease.

Dr Neil Ebenezer, Director of Research, Policy and Innovation at Fight for Sight, said: “Fight for Sight’s vision is simple - we want to stop sight loss. We have to consider carefully how to use our resources with maximum impact so our new strategy will help us in doing this. As well as identifying four strategic programmes we will continue to fund the same high quality of research into all eye conditions.”

From today Fight for Sight is also calling for applications from potential supervisors for PhD Studentship to research sight loss caused by any eye disease or condition.

Grants of up to £100,000 will be available for each studentship with the majority of funding allocated to applications within each programme area. The deadline for submission of PhD applications is 5pm on Wednesday 22 August 2018.

Dr Neil Ebenezer added; “We’re committed to encouraging new and highly motivated graduates to take up and pursue a career in ophthalmic and vision research. We look forward to getting our latest applications for PhD studentships to develop the researchers of the future who will tackle the challenge of sight loss.”

Fight for Sight is the leading UK charity dedicated to funding pioneering research to prevent sight loss and treat eye disease. The charity’s overall research commitments currently amount to £8m for over 160 research projects at 44 different universities and hospitals across the UK.

Over the course of its history the charity’s research has resulted in breakthroughs that include new treatments to save the sight of premature babies, the world’s first clinical trials to test gene therapies for inherited eye conditions and the creation of a corneal transplant service.

Fight for Sight aims to fund the highest quality research, from basic through to clinical, to help stop sight loss. Researchers funded will be attached to UK institutions with research being undertaken in the UK and/or overseas. Exceptionally Fight for Sight may decide to widen specific programmes or calls to researchers attached to institutions outside of the UK. Fight for Sight will continue to offer response mode funding but will also issue targeted and themed calls within its strategic programme areas.